Harvest of the Month: Herbs

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— Island Grown Schools

Tender green leaves of perennial herbs are one of the first things to grow in the garden, poking out from under last year’s dried stems to herald the warmer weather. Mint, marjoram, oregano, thyme, and chives are finally tall enough for their first harvest and help reassure us that our gardens will grow again.

Herb plants can be purchased from a local nursery, and they are very easy to grow in a small garden or in pots. As farm stands begin to open up for business around the Island, find the first small bunches of spring herbs for sale.

Try adding fresh herbs such as dill, chives, or basil into your salad for a little bit of extra flavor. Pour boiling water over mint, steep for five minutes, and strain for a refreshing, digestive tea after dinner. Extra, unused herbs can be chopped and packed into ice cube trays with water, wine, or a little bit of stock. These herbal ice cubes can be stored in a plastic bag and pulled out a few at a time to flavor soups, sauces or pasta.

Chive Pesto

Try making this chive variation on pesto, a little bit spicier than traditional basil pesto.

1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1 garlic clove
pinch of salt and pepper
juice from 1/2 lemon
1 large bunch chives
olive oil

Place sunflower seeds into bowl of food processor. Run food processor to chop the sunflower seeds. When they are sufficiently chopped, add in the garlic. Run processor until everything resembles a crumble. Add chives, lemon juice and about 2 Tbs. oil into food processor. Process until it starts to resemble a paste. Add olive oil by the Tbs. until it reaches desired consistency. Taste and add a pinch of salt and pepper.

For more information on Harvest of the Month and Island Grown Schools, visit islandgrownschools.org.

Emily Duncker is the Preschool Coordinator for Island Grown Schools.